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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23275819">One Thing At A Time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalsarelife/pseuds/musicalsarelife'>musicalsarelife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cute, F/M, First Kiss, Getting Together, Legato Conservatory, Nerves, pre-concert</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:55:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23275819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalsarelife/pseuds/musicalsarelife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry is nervous about Lup figuring him out. Barry is also nervous about their duet. He can only deal with one set of nerves at once.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barry Bluejeans/Lup</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Thing At A Time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lup watched Barry, as he sat at his piano. Gods, he was handsome. He was always handsome. In his red IPRE robe. In his soft pajama sweatpants. Even in his, by now signature, blue jeans.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But this was a whole other level.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The tuxedo jacket fit his shoulders perfectly. Sleek material that Lup just wanted to run her hands over. The shirt was tailored to fall perfectly at his wrists, drawing attention to his hands. Strong, capable hands that Lup wanted to hold, wanted to trace her fingers over each faint scar, wanted to pull towards her and set around her waist.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Strong hands that were shaking, as they skimmed ivory piano keys.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry was going to die.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He was pretty sure his heart was going to explode. He had never been this nervous in his life, and he was always nervous. Blood was pounding in his ears. His breath was short. His entire body felt superheated. He was never going to get through this performance.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But, he needed to. He needed to do this.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The crew was counting on them. The world was counting on them. Every plane in existence was counting on them.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He was fine. He knew the music. <em>Knew it</em> like his own mind. Every run of notes like the scientific method. Every swell like the heat of Bunsen burners and the bubbling of chemicals. Every twining note like the accidental brush of Lup’s hand against his. Like the gleam of her hair in starlight. The crease between her brows when she focused on chopping. Her triumphant grin each time she made a discovery, all teeth and joy and light. Her bitten nails with chipped red polish, her bright eyes, freckles across her cheeks, her laugh. Just Lup. Lup Lup <em>Lup.</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And, his heart was racing again.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This cycle had been exquisite torture. They had been working side by side for decades, but this year, breaking away from the lab, focusing on music, letting romantic notes and delicate arpeggios replace numbers and calculations made his feelings, his love, even harder to hide.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He had no idea how he hadn’t given himself away. Maybe he already had. Maybe she knew, and was just getting through the performance before she rejected him. Maybe she didn’t know and would be furious when she found out all he had been hiding.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His entire body felt numb. She was going to know. Halfway through their song, she was going to find out, and she was going to hate him. And, when she did, his hands would freeze. She would know, and he would fail, and they would fail. Because of him. Because of his inability to keep his feelings in check, this world would be lost.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He could feel Lup near him, feel himself drawn to her. Adjusting her violin, and getting ready for the show, like the damn professional she was, and he was supposed to be. He couldn’t focus.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Fuck. <em>Fuck.</em> What was he doing? What was he going to do? He needed to pull himself together. If he couldn’t calm himself down, he was going to shake apart. He was going to fail. What could he even do?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He needed to breathe.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But what could he do?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Stop his shaking hands. No.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His racing heart.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Nothing he could do.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Bear?” Two hands rested on his shoulders, and he spun around. Lup was watching him with her soft, kind, <em>beautiful</em> eyes. Eyes he adored. Eyes that comforted him in every hard moment. Eyes he could fall into.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Nothing he could do but…</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“We’re going to be great Barry.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>Nothing to do, but pull the trigger.</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He stood abruptly. “Lup…”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She opened her mouth to speak, but words died in her throat, as Barry placed gentle fingers against her cheek. Her eyes grew wide, and she worked for a couple seconds to close her mouth.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Fuck…Lup, I’m so sorry.” He chuckled humorlessly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Bear?” <em>Why was he sorry? Did he know? Did she mess up?</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No.” He interrupted her, but he just needed to say it, “Just give me a second. I’m sorry. This is the worst time. I know it’s the worst time, but I can only be nervous about one thing at a time, so I need to do this. I love you.”<br/></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>He WHAT?</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“And, it’s not fair to you. Not fair to put this on you, now especially, but I can’t not say this now. I love you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"><em>He…loves her.</em> She opened her mouth, but he barreled forward, “I love you so much. And, every moment for so long has been terror that you would find me out and hate me. And, maybe you hate me now.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Barry–”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But, this performance with you is everything to me. You are everything. And, my nerves are shot right now. And, I can’t change the fact that we’re going on in ten minutes. And that so much is riding on this. So, I had to tell you. I love you. I have loved you for so long. I don’t know what it’s like not to love you anymore. And, I know this is terrible of me, this timing could not be worse, but I can’t play music and be a functional person with all this going on and hiding my feelings, so I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I love you. I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lup’s brain had short-circuited. He loved her. He <em>loved </em>her? Why was he apologizing? He loved her! <em>“For so long?” </em>How long? How long had he loved her? Years? She needed to know. He loved her! Her mouth opened and closed. She had so much to say. Where could she start?<br/></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>You love me! I love you! I love you, too! How long? I have loved you for decades! Have you? You are amazing. Why are you nervous? I love you! You are brilliant and handsome and talented. I love you!</em> </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lup had been silent for several moments. There were too many ways to start what she wanted to say. The second Barry finished speaking, his heart stopped pounding. In fact, it may have just stopped. What was he thinking? What had he done?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shit.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Lup…gods, I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Barry?” Lup barely got his name out, before he turned and nearly ran from her sight.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1"> <em>What just happened?</em> </span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry stood in the wings, watching Magnus carry his duck forward. Their fighter looked shaken and full of humility, but he would make it.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His and Lup’s song was next.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In some small part of his mind, he was glad he told Lup. There would be a price to pay later, he was sure. But they would be able to get through the song. That he knew. His heart was still racing. And, he knew he was going to sweat through his shirt. His anxiety wasn’t going to go away, and honestly, it was running very high at the moment, but it was manageable. His hands weren’t shaking.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Barry Bluejeans!”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He turned to see Lup marching up to him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There was fire in her eyes. Maybe they wouldn’t make it through. Maybe she was going to blast him with a fireball right now, so he wouldn’t see the end of this cycle. The Light had accepted Merle and Taako’s submissions already. Maybe that was enough. Maybe everything was unnecessary. This was a calculated risk, and she figured their submission, their year of work was a reasonable sacrifice.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As she reached him, her jaw was set hard with fury. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Gods, Lup, I’m–”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lup wrapped her fingers just below the knot of his tie and pulled him forward, kissing him hard.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry inhaled sharply. <em>Lup is kissing you. LUP IS KISSING YOU.</em></span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">She pulled back an inch. Still close enough to feel the heat radiating off Barry’s body, close enough to feel his breath coming in short puffs against her face.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How dare you.” She whispered, hand on his tie still keeping him close.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry blinked. “What?” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“How dare you run off, before I could say, ‘I love you, too.’”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry’s hands started to shake. Barry’s whole body began to shake. “What?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Lup leaned even closer to him. Her chest practically against his. He could feel the barest brush of her lips against his, as she repeated, “Barry J. Bluejeans, I love you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">They both melted into a second kiss. Softer than the first. His hands drifted to her waist, as she let her hand release his tie, in favor of settling lightly on his chest.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">In the background, a bright light flashed, and the audience erupted into applause.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Distantly, Barry recognized that Magnus’s submission had been accepted. But, what mattered outside of Lup in his arms?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a moment, Lup stepped away, with a small, <em>lovely, </em>smile on her face. “We’ll talk more later, okay?” Barry nodded in agreement. “Now, let’s go rock this.” Lup squeezed his hand, before letting go. She gently fixed his tie, before she swept onto the stage.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Barry followed her, as he always would, a moment after.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His heart was still racing, but it felt ready to pound in time with hers. His body still felt too warm, but it was like his love was expanding out of his chest and focusing on her entire being.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">His hands still shook, but those hands had just held hers, and soon they wouldn’t let go.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this a while ago, and never posted it. But, now, since the world's in quarantine. I figured I'd post some cuteness.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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